Rudbeckia plant named ‘RUDPA297’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Rudbeckia  plant named ‘RUDPA297’ that is characterized by its vigorous growth habit yet maintaining a compact plant habit, its very floriferous blooming habit, and its inflorescences with disks that are green-yellow in color and ray florets that are yellow-orange in color.

Botanical classification: Rudbeckia hirta.

Variety denomination: ‘RUDPA297’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to U.S. Plant Patent Applications filed forplants derived from the same breeding program that are entitledRudbeckia Plant Named ‘RUDHT37’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,657) andRudbeckia Plant Named ‘RUDHT25’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,728). Thisapplication claims priority to European Community Plant Variety Office(CPVO) Plant Breeder's Rights Application No. 2020/0007 filed on Jan. 6,2020 under 35 U.S.C. 119(f), the entire contents of which isincorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofRudbeckia hirta and will hereafter by referred to by its cultivar name,‘RUDPA297’. The new cultivar is an herbaceous perennial grown for use asa landscape plant.

‘RUDPA297’ was derived from a breeding program conducted by the Inventorat a nursery in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to select new cultivars of Rudbeckia withfloriferous blooming habits and compact plant habits.

‘RUDPA297’ was selected in July of 2018 by the Inventor from amongstseedlings in a trial field that had been planted with seed derived fromopen pollination of numerous unpatented and unnamed proprietary plantsfrom the Inventor's breeding program in July of 2017. The exactparentage is therefore unknown.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished under thedirection of the Inventor by tissue culture using meristematic tissue inHeerhugowaard, The Netherlands in March of 2019. Asexual propagation bytissue culture has determined that the characteristics of the newcultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating tosales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date. Disclosures include but may not be limited to awebsite listing by AB-Cultivars (a company owned by the Inventor).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘RUDPA297’ as a unique cultivar of Rudbeckia.

-   -   1. ‘RUDPA297’ exhibits a vigorous growth habit yet maintains a        compact plant habit.    -   2. ‘RUDPA297’ exhibits a very floriferous blooming habit.    -   3. ‘RUDPA297’ exhibits inflorescences with disks that are        green-yellow in color and ray florets that are yellow-orange in        color.

‘RUDPA297’ can be compared to the Rudbeckia cultivars ‘RUDHT37’ and‘RUDHT25’. ‘RUDHT37’ is similar to ‘RUDPA297’ in ray floret color.‘RUDHT37’ differs from ‘RUDPA297’ in being taller in height, in having aless spreading plant habit, in commencing bloom later in the floweringseason, and in having inflorescence disk florets that are dark brown incolor. ‘RUDHT25’ is similar to ‘RUDPA297’ in foliage color. ‘RUDHT25’differs from ‘RUDPA297’ in having a shorter plant height andinflorescences that open later in the season, are smaller in diameterwith ray florets that are yellow-orange in color with grey-purple tobrown bases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Rudbeckia. The photographs weretaken of a 6-month-old plant of ‘RUDPA297’ as grown outdoors in a 17-cmcontainer in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 is a side view of ‘RUDPA297’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of‘RUDPA297’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘RUDPA297’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized and the color values citedin the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors ofthe new Rudbeckia.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 6-month-old plants of‘RUDPA297’ as grown outdoors in 17-cm containers in Zuidwolde, TheNetherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variationsin environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, England, except where general color termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Average of 13 weeks from early summer to            late summer in The Netherlands.        -   Plant type.—Perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Upright, compact.        -   Plant shape.—Broad obovate.        -   Height and spread.—Average of 47 cm in height from soil            level to top of foliar plane and 63 cm in height from soil            level to top of floral plane, 72.3 cm in diameter.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 10.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility and resistance to            diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fine and fibrous.        -   Propagation.—Tissue culture.        -   Root development.—An average of 3 weeks for root initiation            with a young rooted plant produced in an average of 6 weeks.        -   Growth rate and vigor.—Vigorous yet compact.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem shape.—Slightly angled.        -   Stem color.—Young stems; 144A, mature stems; 144B, axially            striped 144A.        -   Stem size.—An average of 5 mm in diameter and an average of            23 cm in length.        -   Stem surface.—Moderately glossy and densely covered with            strigose hairs an average of 2 mm in length and close to            NN155D in color.        -   Stem number.—Average of 12 main stems, 7 lateral branches            per main stem.        -   Internode length.—An average of 3.1 cm in length.        -   Stem aspect.—Main stems an average angle of 17.5° to            vertical, lateral branches in an average angle of 25° to            main stems.        -   Branching.—Freely branching from base with lateral stems,            strong branches.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Narrow obovate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Long cuneate.        -   Leaf apex.—Bluntly acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color upper surface 148C, color            lower surface 146C.        -   Leaf margins.—Un-deeply coarsely serrate.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 13 cm in length and 4.7 cm in width.        -   Leaf color.—Young upper and lower surface; 138A, mature            upper surface; 137B, mature lower surface; 147B.        -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces matte, rough to touch, both            surfaces densely pubescent with short strigose hairs; an            average of 1.5 mm in length and 156D in color.        -   Petioles.—Average of 5 mm in length, 3 mm in diameter, both            surfaces slightly glossy and densely covered with strigose            hairs, average of 1.5 mm in length, NN155D in color, upper            surface color 145B, lower surface color 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type.—Terminal capitulum, consisting of ray florets and disk            florets.        -   Capitulum number.—1 per stem, up to 140 per plant.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Average of 2 weeks,            persistent.        -   Capitulum size.—Matures to about 3.3 cm in height and 7.2 cm            in diameter, disk is an average of 2.3 cm in diameter.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Involucral bracts (phyllaries).—Broadly cuneate base, obtuse            apex, narrow oblong in shape, entire margins, average of 24            arranged in two rows, 1.4 cm in length and 3 mm in width,            color; upper surface when fully open NN137B, lower surface            when fully open 143A, both surfaces and margins matte and            densely covered with strigose hairs; an average of 1.5 mm in            length and NN155D in color.        -   Receptacle.—Ovate in shape, an average of 1.3 cm in height,            7 mm in diameter, 157B in color.        -   Buds.—Globular in shape, immature ray florets slightly            curved inward and pointed upward, up to 2.5 cm in length and            3.8 cm in diameter, color; immature ray florets 151D, upper            side of immature involucral bracts NN137B, under side 138B,            surface of involucral bracts densely covered with strigose            hairs; average length 1.5 mm, NN155D in color, surface of            immature ray florets densely covered with adpressed strigose            hairs; average of 0.75 mm in length and 4D I color.        -   Peduncle.—Strong, straight on top of main flowering stem,            average of 17.1 cm in length and 4.5 mm in diameter, color;            144A, axially striped 143A, surface moderately glossy sand            densely covered with short strigose hairs; an average of 1            mm in length and NN155D in color.        -   Ray florets.—Average of 13, rotate around the disk,            lanceolate and very slightly carinate in shape, average of            5.4 cm in length and 2.2 cm in width, emarginate to            praemorse apex, cuneate base, entire margins, both surfaces            are velvety, matte and glabrous, both surfaces moderately            covered with very short adpressed strigose hairs, average of            3 mm in length and 15C in color, held near horizontal,            color; when opening upper surface; 17A, changing to 17B at            the top, when opening lower surface; 14A, when fully open            upper surface and veins; 17A, lower half changing to N25D            towards the base, when fully open lower surface; 15A,            changing to 15B at the tip, veins N144A.        -   Disk florets.—Average of 800, tubular, 20 whorls arranged            spirally on a conical receptacle, lower 90% fused into tube,            upper 10% free, about 8 mm in length and 3 mm in width, free            lobes have entire margins and are curled backwards, both            surfaces glabrous and slightly glossy, color; when opening            upper and lower surface; top N144A, mid-section and base            150D, when fully open upper and lower surface; top 12B,            mid-section and base 157D, spines; none, bracts; 1 per disk            floret, soft, flattened, an average of 6 mm in length and 1            mm in diameter, oblanceolate in shape, acute apex, narrow            cuneate base, color apex; 145A to 145B, mid-section; 145C to            145D, base 157D.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, 7 mm in length, style; 5 mm in length,            color; top 2C, base 155C, stigma; cleft, decurrent, 3 mm in            diameter, 2B in color, ovary; NN155A in color.        -   Androecium.—Stamens; 5, filaments; 3 mm in length, 158D in            color, anther; narrow oblong in shape, 2.5 mm in length, 0.5            mm in width, 200A in color, pollen; moderate in quantity and            17A in color.        -   Fruit/seed.—None observed to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Rudbeckia plant named‘RUDPA297’ substantially as herein illustrated and described.